This disclosure relates generally to the field of layer transfer of a thin layer of silicon.
As the demand for alternative forms of energy increases, higher demands are placed on the conversion efficiency of photovoltaic cells such as solar cells. Simultaneously, the cost of such cells is expected to decrease. For silicon (Si) based solar cell technology, the trade-off between cell fabrication cost and conversion efficiency is directly related to the quality of the silicon used to fabricate the solar cell. Single-crystal (SC) silicon cells have relatively high efficiency, but also high cost. To form a single-crystal silicon-based solar cell, a layer of thin (<50 micrometers, or μm) silicon may be formed on an alternate substrate such as glass, ceramic or metal by a process referred to as layer transfer. However, successful layer transfer of a single-crystal layer of silicon may require the use of relatively expensive equipment and techniques.